- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 426,196
- Reaction score
- 43
You must be registered for see images attach
Celebre d’Allen died on Monday evening after his condition ‘deteriorated significantly’ - PA/Martin Rickett
Grand National horse Celebre d’Allen has died days after collapsing on the racecourse at Aintree.
Trained in partnership by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, the 13-year-old was a 125-1 shot under Micheal Nolan and was pulled up after the final fence on Saturday before then collapsing.
The stewards at Aintree suspended Nolan for 10 days after enquiring into his decision to continue to ride Celebre d’Allen after jumping the penultimate fence.
After receiving treatment on course, he walked into the horse ambulance and was taken to the racecourse stables for further assessment. The horse then died after his condition deteriorated overnight on Monday into Tuesday.
Joint-trainer White had said the veteran was “very much going the right way” on Sunday following an overnight stay at Aintree and he was later moved to a nearby livery yard to continue his recovery.
However, speaking on Tuesday morning, White said: “He had the best possible care, but he just took a downturn overnight and very sadly he’s passed away.
“It’s gutting for everyone here [at the yard], it’s very quiet here this morning as you can imagine.”
Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, said: “All of us at the BHA are saddened to learn of the death of Celebre d’Allen following Saturday’s Randox Grand National. It has been clear to see since Saturday afternoon just how much the horse meant to his connections and we send our condolences to them today.
“As with all runners in the Grand National, Celebre d’Allen was provided with a thorough check by vets at the racecourse. This health check includes a trot up, physical examination of limbs to check for any heat, pain or swelling, and listening to the heart to check for any murmur or rhythm disturbance.
“This marks the final step in an extensive process of checks to ensure a horse’s suitability to race in the National, which also includes a review of veterinary records and assessment by a panel of experts to consider a horse’s race record and suitability to race. As part of this process the horse would also have been examined by the trainer’s own vet on the two occasions, a month apart.
“Celebre D’Allen received treatment from the team of expert vets after pulling up and then collapsing towards the end of the race. Having been immediately attended to by the teams on site, he was given all the time he needed to respond to treatment on course before being transported back to the first-class veterinary facilities at the racecourse stables, where he remained overnight, continuing to receive care and attention. He subsequently travelled to a nearby stud which was connected to the horse’s owners on Sunday, having shown improvement overnight.
“The BHA and Aintree racecourse will analyse the race and this incident in detail, as is the case every year and with every fatal injury in any race. This will include the horse being sent for post-mortem.
“The process of reviewing every fatality allows us to build on our existing data and help us understand how all reasonable avoidable risk can be reduced in order to keep our horses and riders as safe as possible. This process previously led to the changes that were made to the Grand National in 2024, including the reduction in the number of runners. Prior to Saturday’s race there had been no fatal injuries in the previous nine races run over the Grand National course since the 2023 National.
“The steps we have taken to improve safety over the years reflects the great respect we have for our horses, and our commitment to their safety.”
There was also concern for Broadway Boy after the Grand National, who suffered a heavy fall at the 25th fence while leading the race.
Vets and staff rushed to the scene and it was confirmed on Sunday that although the horse was “stiff and sore” it was “travelling home” safely.
Broadway Boy’s jockey Tom Bellamy was also injured in the incident and it later transpired that he suffered a broken wrist in the fall, but was otherwise unharmed.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Continue reading...
